About Your Treasurer...

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I was elected in November 2008 after serving three terms in the Michigan House of Representatives, where I chaired the Commerce Committee and served on the House Tax Policy, Education, Judiciary, and New Economy and Quality of Life committees.

I am best known for his my work on legislation bringing the motion picture industry to Michigan, stem cell research and reform of the public mental health system.

As Oakland County Treasurer my focus is preserving the county's prosperity during times of unprecedented financial crisis, preventing mortgage and tax foreclosures that destabilize our communities and threaten property values, and on prudent stewardship and investment of Oakland County taxpayers' dollars.

My public-service career began in 1994 as a Lyndon B. Johnson Fellow in the Washington, D.C. Office of U.S. Rep. Sander Levin, where I continued as a Congressional Aide and gained experience helping to manage the federal budget and bringing grants home to Oakland County. I worked as vice president of marketing and communications for a national nonprofit organization dedicated to community-based prevention of substance abuse and violence, and as corporate communications director for the Farbman Group commercial real estate firm.

I earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Michigan and a law degree from the University of Detroit-Mercy and am a member of the State Bar of Michigan.

About the Role of the Treasurer's Office:

The County Treasurer is an office created by the Michigan Constitution to serve as banker of a county. The functions of the Office of the Treasurer are authorized and governed by the Michigan Constitution, Michigan statutes, administrative regulations and the Oakland County Board of Commissioners.

As the banker for the county, the Oakland County Treasurer is the custodian of all county funds and collector and distributor of all revenues. As revenues come into the Treasurer's Office from many different local, state and federal sources, the Treasurer disburses those dollars in a timely fashion to ensure the efficient administration of county government. These disbursements include paychecks for county employees, funding for road projects and other county functions.

Under state law, the County Treasurer is authorized to invest excess revenues on a short-term basis. The Oakland County Treasurer employs a conservative investment strategy focusing first on safety and capital preservation, then liquidity considerations and, finally, yield. Using these prudent investment practices, Oakland County's investment portfolio consistently and significantly outperforms the short-term U.S. Treasury T-Bill.

The Oakland County Treasurer also acts as a service provider for other county departments, as well as local cities, villages and townships in the areas of investment of public funds, collection of personal property taxes and other collaborative strategies.

When Oakland County experienced a mortgage foreclosure crisis affecting residential and commercial real estate and dramatic increases in the number of tax foreclosed properties, the Oakland County Treasurer worked to protect property values and prevent the harmful effects of foreclosure. The Office of the Treasurer also is committed to serving as a key resource for Oakland County residents experiencing problems with foreclosure, job loss or financial literacy issues.

Most importantly, the Oakland County Treasurer's Office is committed to serving taxpayers with respect, dignity and a renewed commitment to customer service and innovative problem-solving.